Flap-applying machine



April 30, 1940.

H. J. WILLMOTT 2.198.692

FLAP-APPLYING MACHINE Fi led Feb. 28, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 1 April 30,1940. H, J. WILLMOTT FLAP-APPLYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1939 sSheets-Sheet 2 I AWE/V2575? April 30, 1940. H, LL TT 7 2.198.692

FLAP-APPLYING MACHINE v Filed Feb. 28, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 PatentedApr. 30, .1940

UNITED STATE r FLAP-APPLYING MACHINE Herbert J. Willmott, Beverly, Mass,assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N.J., a corporation of New Application February 28, 1939, Serial No.259,003

11 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for use in the manufacture of shoesand is illustrated as embodiedin an improved machine for quickly andeffectively applying. to Louis heels and shank portions of the soles ofshoes covering flaps, which have their inner faces coated with adhesiveand whichfhave been previously laid up by hand against the breasts ofsaid heels; and for holding the flaps clamped to the heels until the lflap-securing adhesive dries. l

r In accordance with a feature of this invention the illustratedflap-applying: machine comprises a support having, stationary andmovable members, a resilient pad mounted upon the support 5 andconstructedand arranged to be interposed between the shankportion of ashoe and the breast of an attached Louis heel of the shoe against whichbreast a covering .flaphas been laid, means forforcing the coveredbreast of the heel, againstthe pad, and means for operating themovabletmember of the pad support to expand the pad and to force thesame with considerable pressure against the upper end of the cov- .eredbreast of the heel, and the shank portion of the sole of the shoe. Theshoe against the breast of the heel of which the flap has beenpreviously laid byhand, is positioned upon the pad which is ,wedgeshaped and is preferablymade of rubber. The "operator thendepresses atreadle causing 0 through mechanism comprisinga toggle, a pair of,clamps to force the covered breast of the heel againstone wedge-face ofthe pad and causing the movable memberof the pad support to swing theother wedge face of the pad with consideris able force against theshankportion of the shoe.

y In clampingthe shoe in the machine the toggle is straightened andlocked so asto hold the pad in clamped relationto the shoe until theflapsecuring adhesive dries. The toggle is then bro- .0 ken and theclamps are returned to their initial positions, the shoe in themeanwhile being rewmoved from the machine. By providing a pad supporthaving aimovable member for expanding the pad, the machine is adapted toaccommodate l5 a wide range of sizes and styles of shoes and heelswithout having to change the pad.

5 l Ithas been found that when the work-engaging portions offlap-applying pads are made entirely of soft readily yieldable rubberthere is a i0 tendency when. considerable pressure is applied againsttheflap-covered breast of the heel of the shoe for any surfaceimperfections in the breast of the wood heel block to; appear throughthe covered heel breast. Such a condition is undew enab peci l in. heprieht po n of t heel breast which is exposed to view when the shoe isworn. In order to insure against surface imperfections in the uprightrelatively flat portion of the breast of the wood heel block show ingthrough the applied flap, and in accordance with another feature of thepresent invention, the wedge-face portion of the pad which applies theflap to the upright portion of the heel block is made of relatively hardbut slightly yieldable rubber, the other wedge-face portion of the padbeing made of soft readily yieldable rubber so that it will conformreadily to the overhanging portion of the breast of the heel andtheshank portion of the sole of the shoe. The relatively hard wedge-faceportion of the pad is sufficiently yieldable to conform to the uprightportion of the heel breast but is rigid enough to insure against smallareas of the flap being pressed into small cavities or other surfaceimperfections in the breast of the wood-heel block and therefore showingthrough the covered breast of the heel. The various features of theinvention will be understood and appreciated from the following detaileddescription read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in whichr In the drawings, V

n Fig. 1 is aperspective view, partly broken away,

of the illustrated machine; t

Fig. 2 is aside elevation,=partly in section and partly broken away, ofthe machine;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view showing in perspective the rubber pad forapplying the covering flap to theLouis heel and the shank portion of thesole of the shoe and the support for the pad;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the flap-applying pad and supportillustrated, in Fig. 2 when the machine is idle; r

Fig. 5 is a section on line VV of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a perspectiveView of the heel end of an inverted shoe the covering flap of which hasbeen laid by the above machine.

The illustrated machine is described with reference to applying acovering flap (Fig. 6) to the breast of an attached heel 24 (Figs. 2 and6) of a shoe 26 and to the shank portion 28 (Fig. 6) of the sole of theshoe, and comprises a support 30 for a wedge-shaped rubber pad 32, andheel and last engaging clamps 34, 36, respectively, for forcing the shoeagainst the pad, the pad support 30 comprising anarm 38 which, duringthe clamping movement of the clamps 34, 36 is swung in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in Fig. 2,.to expand the pad.

Before presenting the shoe, which is usually mounted upon aflast 31(Fig. 2) to the machine the operator positions and lays the flap 20(Fig. 6), the imier face of which has been previously coated with cementor other suitable adhesive,

with the sharply curved or vertex portion M of v the pad in engagementwith the forwardly projecting or overhanging portion of the coveredbreast of the heel. The operator then depresses a treadle 48 (Fig. 1)causing, through mecha-'* nism which will be described 'l'atertherespective clamps 34, 36 to forde 'the attached heel or the shoeagainst the pad 32, and also causing the expander arm 38 to swing theconcave wedge face 48 of the pad toward and against the shank portion ofthe sole of the shoe'. "In order to hold the flap 20 securely in placeagainst the breastofthe heel and the shank portion of the sole until theflap-securing cement dries, the treadle-operated mechanism comprises atoggle 50 which, when the treadle 46 is depressed, is straightened andtemporarily locked, as shown in The support '30 for the pad 32 comprisesa table 52. (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) and the pad expander arm 38 which ispivoted upon a fulcrum pin 54 carried by the forward end of the table.The table 52 has a flat upper face 55(Figs. 3 and 4) and is secured tothe main frame of the machine by screws 58 (Figs. 2 .and l). When themachine is idle the expander arm 38 isin its raised positionadjacent tothe table 52, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The pad 32. has in its rear enda deep groove 60 (Fig. 3) shaped and arranged .to enable the operator toslide the :pad over the forward ends of the expander arm38 and the table52 when the machine in itsidle positionwshown in Fig. 4, thepad -beingpositioned widthwise 7 upon the support'by side plates 82 which aresecured by screws 64 to the opposite sides of the forward end of theexpanderarm 38.

The heel clamp 34 comprises a concave rubber roll-64 (Figs. 1'and 2)rotatably mounted upon studs 56 threaded into the lowerend of a carrierSlwhichis pivotedupona fulcrum pin 68 secured to a lever 'I0. The lever10'is pivoted upon a fulcrum pin I2 supported in a bearing 14 of themachine frame-and has secured to it by screws :16 (Fig. 2) a segmentplate I8 (Figs. 1 and 2) havin'gan arcuate slot '80 which is centeredabout the axis of the fulcrum pin 68. Housed in a bore of the carrier61' is a screw82 (Fig. 5) the shank portion of which passes through thearcuate slot of the segment plate 18 and is threaded into a stud 84which-fits in another bore of the carrier. When the stud 8' is-turned ina clockwise direction as viewed in Figs; 1 and 2 the opposing shouldersof the screw 82 and the stud 84 are forced against'the opposite sides ofthe segment plate 18 to. securethe same to the carrier 61. The carrier'51 may be secured in different angular positions upon the-fulcrum pin60 in. accordance with the shape of the heel of the -shoebeing operatedupon, after releasing the stud'84. When I the proper adjustment has beeneffected the carrier'fi'l is again clamped against the segment plate 18securedto the 'lever 7-0 by tightening the stud 84. v v

Pivoted upon studs 86 threaded into-the lever I0 is a trunnion 88 havingat its central portion a bore through which passes a rod 90 to" theupper 1 "frame.

end of which a hand hold 92 is secured. Surrounding the rod 90 andinterposed between the trunnion 88 and a nut 94'threaded onto the rod isa spring 90 which, when the machine is idle, forces a flange 98 of therod against the lower portion of the trunnion 88.

7 Threaded into a bore of the rod 90 is another rod I00 the lower-end ofwhich: is threaded into atrunnion I02pivoted at itsop'posi'te ends inthe rear end of a bell-crank lever I04 mounted upon a fulcrum pin I05supported by the machine A check nut I08 is threaded onto the lower endof the rod I00 and is normally forced against'the trunnion 102.- Thefront arms of the bell-crank leve'r'a;l'04 are pivotally connected by afulcrum pin 'I.ll0 'to the toggle 50 which comprises front and rear armspivotally connected by 'a toggle-pin II'2, 'the central portion of whichfits in an elongated slot II4 of a toggle-operating link I I5. The reararms of the toggle 50 are secured-to alpin II! which is mounted inab'e'aringfof the "machine frame. is depressed the link IIB -is raisedto the position shown in'dottedlines (Fig. 2) untilthe forward arms ofthe toggle :50 engage stops M8 on the machine frame thereby closing. andlocking the toggle 50 and operatingthe clamp's 34, 36and thepad-expanding arm '38.

The last-engaging clamp 36 comprises a bifarcated lever I20 the lowerends of which are pivoted. upon the fulcrum pin I06, and a block 122which is mounted .upon a stud I24 secured to the upper end of thelever.The upper end of the block I22 is. covered by a; leather pad I 25which-is secured to the block by=anut and bolt connection 125 (Fig. 2).In order initially to adjust theblock :I22 into. dilferentangular-positions upon the :lever I20 in accordance withthe size andshape of the last 31 upon which the shoe is mounted,the block I22 isprovided with anarcuateslot I30 Whichis centered about the axis of thestud I24 and through which passes a screw I32 threaded intothe leverI20. The-head of the screw I32 is forced against the block "I22 toclampthe block against movement with relation to the lever I20.

The lever I20haspivotallysecured to it a rod I 34 extending downwardthrough a bore ina sleeve I36. which is threaded iinto the fulcrum pin.H0. Threaded onto the lower end-of. the

sleeve I36 and clamped against the :under side of the fulcrum jpin IIOis a nut I40, and encircling the sleeve and located between the ful--cr-um pin H0 and the head of the sleeve t36- is acoil sprin I 42.Threaded onto the upper end of the rod I34is ahand nut I44whi'chisnormally force-d againstthe head of thesl'eevethrough theprovision of a spring I46 mountedupon the fulcrum pin I00 and having.its opposite ends'in' engagement with the studs I48, I50 (Fig, 2)carried by the bell-crank lever I04 and the lever I 20 respectively. Theangularposition of the lever I20- upon the fulcrum pin I06can-be'initially varied by turning the hand-nut I 44. Whenthe'toggle501s broken the bellec'rank lever I04 moves-in a counterclockwisedirection as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 causingthe sleeve "I30to be loweredand the lever- I20 to be swung. in a-counterclockwise direction.

The *expander'arm'38 is swung in a clockwise direction as viewed in '2about the fulcrum pin '54 to force the concave wedge face 48 ofthe pad32 against the projecting portion'of-th'e' co'vthe shoe; through credbreast of the heel *as -well--'as"against-"the' shank portion ofthe soleof Whenthe treadle #6 the -following mechanismr Threaded ontothe rodI-is a cam I 52 which maybe secured in different positions on the rodbya screw I54 (Figs; 2 and 4) and a nut I56. The expander arm 38isconstantly-urged downward by a pair of springs I58 theupper ends ofwhich embrace studsrI60 carried by the expander arm and the lowjer endsof which embrace studs I62 extendingfrom a collar I64 which isadjustably secured to the lower portion of the rod I00 by a screw 166;(Fig. 2) and a nut I68. In order to insure that theoperative parts ofthe machine shall return totheir initialpositions shown in Fig. 1 afterthe toggle 50 has been broken there is provided a spring I the upper andlower ends of which embrace studs I12, I14 (Fi 2) secured to the mainframe and the trunnion I02 respectivelyi I The treadle 46 is pivoted atits rear end upon a fulcrumpin I16 (Fig. 1) and is operatively connectedthrough a rod I18 and-a lever I80 to the lower end ofthetoggle-operating link II6. "I'he treadle is normally moved to its raisedpositionshown in Fig. 1 by a spring I82, upward movement of the treadlebeing limited by the engagement of the toggle-operatinglink II6 with anadjustable stop I84 threaded into the main frame. When the machine isidle (Fig; 1) the toggle pin I I2 isin engagement with the lower end ofthe slotI l4formed in the toggle-operating link I I6. 1 Upon depressionof the treadlex46 the link I I6 is raised to the position shown indotted lines (Fig. 2) to move the toggle 50 to its locked positionillustrated in Fig. 2 thereby clamping the work in the machineas abovedescribed. A plurality of the above-described machines are preferablyarranged side by side so that the operator can clamp shoes in rotationin the respectivemachines while the flap-securing cement dries.

As soon as the operator has clamped the shoe in the machine he releaseshis foot from the treadle 46 which is then raised by the spring I82,until the toggle-operating link II6 engages the stop I84, the link beingprovided with the elongatedslot I I4 so that the treadle can be returnedto its starting position without breaking the toggle. I

i In order to break the toggle 50 preparatory to removing the shoe fromthe machine the operatorswings forward a hand lever I86 which issecuredto the pin II1 to which the rear arms oftheltoggle are secured.Downwardmovement of the toggle pin H2 is limited by engagement with thelower end of the slot II4 formed in the link II6. As the toggle 50 isopenedthe clamps 34, 36 operated by the above-describedmecha- ,nismswing away from the shoe about therespective fulcrum pins 12 and I06,and the pad-expanding arm 38 is forced upward to its inopera tiveposition shown in Fig. 4 by the cam I52 car- .ried by the rod I00. I i iHThe idle positions of the clamps 34, 36may be varied in accordance withthe size and shape of the shoe being operated upon, adjustment of theheel clamp 34 being effected by turning the rod 90 through the use ofthe hand knob 92, with relation to the rod I00, and adjustment of thepad-expanding. arm against the pad is applied through springs I58.Withsuch an arrangeportion of the pad 32 shall be made of soft, readilyyieldable rubber in order thatthe pad may be conformed to theoverhanging portion of the breast of the Louis heel and the shankportionof the sole of the. shoe. In order, however, to

insure that the pad 32' shall not press the flap into small cavities orsurface imperfections which may be formed in the relatively flat uprightportion of the breast of the wood heel block, the

wedge-face portion. I88 (Figs 3) of the pad 32 is made of relativelyhard but slightlyyieldable {I 5 rubber, the remaining portion of the padbeing made of soft, readily yieldable rubber. 1 Having described theinvention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentofthe United States is: 0

A p-applying machine having, i

bination, a support comprising stationary and 'movablemembers, aresilient pad mounted upon the support and constructed and arranged tobe interposed between the shank portion of ashoe;g 5.

and the breast of an attached Louis heelof the shoe upon which breast acovering flap has been laid, means for forcing the covered breast of theheel against the pad, and means for operating saidmovable member of thesupport to expand 39 the pad and thereby to forcethe same withconsiderable pressure against the upper end of the covered breast of theheel and the shank portion of the sole of the shoe.

2. In a machine for applying by the useiof an ,35

adhesive a covering flap to. a Louis heel and the shank portion of asole of a shoe, a support comprising stationary and movable members, aresilient pad mounted upon the support and constructed and arranged tobe interposed between the shank portion of the sole of the shoe and thebreast of the heel against which the covering flap has been laid,clampsfor forcing with yielding pressure the breast of the covered heelagainst aportion of the pad, and means operative simultaneously with theclamps for moving said movable member of the pad support with yieldingpressure toward the shank portion of the sole of the shoe therebyforcing another portion of the pad against the upper end of the breastof the, 0

heel, and against the shank portion of the sole of the shoe. 1

3. In a machine for applying by the use of an adhesive a covering flapto a Louis heel and the shank portion of a sole of a shoe, a support 255comprising stationary and movable members pivoted together, awedge-shaped rubber pad mounted upon the support and constructed andarranged to be interposed between the shank portion of the sole of theshoe and the breast of the heel against which the covering flap has beenlaid, clamps for forcing the covered breast of the heel against one ofthe wedge faces and the vertex of the pad, and means for swinging themovable member of the pad support to ex- 5 pand the pad thereby forcingthe other Wedge face of the pad against the shank portion of the sole ofthe shoe. 1 I

4. In a machine for applying by the use of an adhesive a covering flapto a Louis heel and =10 the shank portion of a sole of ashoe, awedgeshaped rubber pad having a groove, a pad support comprising a fixedtable and an expander arm pivoted to one end of the table, said/one Iend of the table and an adjacent portion of the ,7;

pad against the: shank portion of the sole of s the shoe. 7 a

5. In a machine for applying by the use of an adhesive a covering flapto a Louis heel and 'theshank portion of a sole of a shoe, a wedge-:shaped rubber pad having a groove in, its rear 'fa'cewand having flatand concave wedge faces respectively, va pad support comprising a fixedtable and an expanderarm pivoted to one end "of the table, said one .endof the table and an adjacent portion of the expander armbeingconstructed andarranged to fit in said groove formed in the pad, meansfor forcing the ups-right portion of the breast of the heel againstwhich breast .the covering flap has been laid .Eagainst thewflat wedgeface of the pad, means operative in timed relation with said means forswinging the expander arm away from the table toforce the other Wedgeface of the pad against the shank portion of the sole of theshoe, and"means for locking the shoe in clamped relation 'tothe pad While theadhesive used to secure the flap to the heel dries.

6. In a machine for applying by the use of an adhesive a covering flapto a Louis heel and the shank portion of a sole of a shoe, a supportcomprising stationary and movable members, a resilient pad mounted uponthe support and constructed and arranged to be interposed between theshank portion of the sole of the shoe "and thebreast of the heel againstwhich the covering flap hasbeen-laid, clampsfor'iforcing the coveredbreast of the heel with yielding pressure against a portion of the pad,spring-operated means for moving said movable member of the pad supporttoward the shank portion of the sole of the shoe to expand the padthereby forcing another portion of the pad against the upper end of thebreast ofthe heel and against the-shank portion of the soleof the shoe,and a earn for positively moving said movable member "of the padsupportback to its initial position.

7. In a machine for applying by the use of an adhesive a covering flapto a Louis heel and the shank portion'of a sole of a shoe, a supportcomprising a fixed table and an arm mounted for swinging movement withrelation to the table, a resilient wedge-shaped pad mounted upon thesupport and constructed and arranged to be interposed between the shankportion of the sole of'the shoe and the breast of the heel against whichthe covering flap has been laid, a pair of clamps, means for operatingthe clamps to force the breast of the covered heel with yieldingpressure against one wedge face of the pad, means for swinging the armof the pad support to force the other wedge face of the pad against theupper end of the breast of the heel and against the shank portion of thesole of the shoe, said means for operating the clamps and'the armcomprising a toggle, means for looking the toggle to retain the pad inclamped relation to the shoe until the flap-securing adhesive dries, andmeans for breaking 'the'toggle to enable the clamps and the arm toreturn to their-initial positions.

:8. In a machine'for applying by the use. of

:an' adhesive acovering flap'to a Louis heelanr rthezshank portion of a'so1e0f a shoe, a wedge :shaped pad, a support :for 'the pad, one of thwedge-face portions of the pad being made 0 relatively hard but slightlyyieldable rubber am theother wedge-face portion of the-pad being madeof-relatively "soft ,yi'eldable rubber, mean constructed and arranged tocause the uprigh portion-of the covered breast of the heel to bl forcedagainst the relatively hard wedge-facr portion 10f the pad and also tocause the overhanging portion of the covered breast of thl heel and theshank portion of the shoe to b( wforced against the relatively softWedge-face por- "tionof the pad,and means for locking the shoe inclamped relation to the pad While the adhesive used to secure the flapto the shoe dries 9. In a machine for applying by the use 01 an adhesivea covering-flap to a 'Louis heel anc the shank portion of a soleof ashoe, asuppori comprising stationary and'movable members pivotedtogether, a wedge-shaped pad having one wedge-face portion which vismade ofrelatively hard but slightly yieldable rubberand theotherwedge-face portion of which is made of soft readily yieldable rubber,said pad being constructed andarranged'to be interposed between theshank portion of the sole of the shoe and the breast of the heel againstwhich the covering flap has been laid, clamps for forcing the uprightportion of the covered breast of the heel against said one Wedge-faceportion ,of the heel,

and means'for swinging the movable member of the pad support to expandthe pad thereby forcing saidother wedge-face portion of the pad againstthe overhanging portion *of the covered breast of the heel'and the shankportion of the sole-of the-shoe.

1'0. 'A flapeapplying machine having; in combination, a support for ashoe having a Louis heel and" a sole from which a heel-breast coveringflap has beensplit, a pad having a Workengaging portion which is made ofrelatively hard but slightlyyieldable rubber and another work-engagingportion which is made of soft readily yieldable rubber, and means forefiecting relative movement of the support'and the pad'to cause therelatively hard portion of the pad to apply a portionof the flap to theupright part of the; breast of the heeland to cause the soft readily'yie'ldable portion of thespad to apply another portion of the flap tothe overhangingpartof the'breast of the heel and to the shank portion ofthe sole of the shoe.

:11. ha machine for applying by the use of an adhesive. a-covering flapto a Louis heel and the shank portionofza sole of a shoe, a supportcomprising stationary and movable members, a wedge-shaped pad mountedupon the support and constructed and arranged to be interposed between'the shank portion of the sole of the shoe and the breast of the heelagainst which the flap has been laid, said pad having ahflat wedge-faceportionrmade of relatively hard but :slightly ,yieldable rubber, and aconcave wedge-1 j'face portionmade of soft readily yieldable rubber,clamps .for forcing the upright portion of theibreast of the Louis heelagainst said fiat wedge-face portion of the pad, and means foroperating'the movable member of said padsup- ,port toforce the :concavewedge-face portion of 'the padagainst the covered overhangingportionxofthe'brea'st of the heel and against the shank portion oftheso'le of the shoe.

. HERBERT J. WILLMOTT.

